❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education (CDE) and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) over the state’s policy of allowing biological male athletes to compete against women and girls.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D), U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and transgender athletes such as A.B. Hernandez.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The lawsuit, filed on July 9, 205, follows California’s rejection of a federal resolution agreement on Monday.
💬KEY QUOTE: The lawsuit states that, in addition to requiring women and girls to compete against males, California policy “also require[s] girls to share intimate spaces, such as locker rooms, with boys, causing a hostile educational environment that denies girls educational opportunities.”
🎯IMPACT: The lawsuit escalates the conflict over biological male athletes’ participation in women’s sports and raises questions about federal funding and Title IX compliance in California.
The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against California’s Department of Education (CDE) and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), citing the state’s continued allowance of biological male athletes to compete in women’s sports in violation of Title IX. The move comes after California rejected a federal resolution agreement on the issue on Monday.
President Donald J. Trump had previously signed an executive order in February 2025, banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s divisions and calling for biology-based definitions of “male” and “female.” Despite this, California has permitted such participation, prompting federal action.
The lawsuit follows high-profile incidents involving transgenders in female sports, including A.B. Hernandez, a biological male, winning gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation state finals in May. Hernandez also dominated a triple jump competition in March, sparking protests from parents.
Notably, the lawsuit cites safety issues as well as sporting fairness, noting that California policy “also require[s] girls to share intimate spaces, such as locker rooms, with boys, causing a hostile educational environment that denies girls educational opportunities.”
After California rejected a federal resolution agreement on Monday, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced the matter had been referred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for legal action. She warned in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that “California will be hearing from Attorney General Pam Bondi.”
In late June, the U.S. Department of Education found that the State of California had violated Title IX with its policies allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports. Despite the federal finding, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) has signalled his state will continue to resist the Trump administration’s directive. Notably, Newsom himself admitted earlier this year that allowing biological males to compete against women was “unfair.”
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